Seasoning attachment for meat-chopping machines.



A. STURGIS.

SEASONING ATTACHMENT FOE MEAT SHOPPING MAGHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.13, 1914.

1,1 10,515, Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

muawtoz HSTI/RG/S ALBERT srunsrs, or GRIFFIN, INDIANA.

SEASONING ATTACHMENT FOR MEAT-SHOPPING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Application filed April 13, 1914. Serial No. 831,555. V i

0 all whom it may concern Be 1t known that I, ALBERT S'rURoIs, a

citizen of the United States, residing at' following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to attachments for meat chopping machines, and more particularly to an attachment by means of which the meat in the machine is automatically seasoned.

An object of this invention is the provision of an attachment for chopping machines, in which means are provided for depositing the seasoning carried in a container automatically into the body of the chopper upon rotation of the mechanism shaft of the machine.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an attachment of this character which comprises a container having an outlet opening in the bottom thereof, the container having a disk valve rotatably mounted therein which is provided with a series of openings adapted to register with the outlet opening of the container to allow the seasoning to pass from the container into the chopping machine upon rotation of the disk valve, means being operatively con nected to the disk valve whereby the same is rotated upon rotation of the mechanism shaft of the chopper.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a seasoning attachment of this character which may be quickly and easily attached to the body of a meat chopping machine, so that the container of the attachment is disposed above the hopper of V the machine with the outlet opening of the container registering with the interior of the hopper and with the valve disk within the.

container operatively connected to the gear wheel mounted on the operating shaft of the chopping machine.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a chopping machine showing mv improved attachment connected thereto; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 ofFig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sec tional view on the line 38 of Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the seasoning container. v

Referring more particularly tothe drawing, thenumeral l designates the body of a meat chopping machine, 2 the hopper thereof, and 3 the projecting end of the rotatable shaft for operating the chopping mechanism (not shown) of the machine, the projecting portion of the shaft having a gear wheel 4 keyed thereon, and a handle 5 for rotating the shaft. Disposed above the hopper 2 of the chopping machine is a seasoning container 6 which is supported upon a pair of vertical standards 7 which are-connected at their lower ends to a clamping member 8 which is adapted for engagement around the body of the machine to one side of the hopper, whereby the container is main tained in its proper position. The standards 7 are connected. belowv the container 6 I by :means of a cross bar 9 which is looped intermediate of its ends as at 10 to provide ajournal or rotatable drive shaft 11, the up-- per end of which projects into the body ofv the container through the central opening 12 formed therein. drawing, that the container is disposed in such a manner that one side thereofprojects slightly above the hopper 2, and the portion of the container disposed over thehopper is provided with an outlet opening 13in the bottom thereof through which the seasoning within the container is adapted to pass into the hopper. Keyed to the upper end of the drive shaft 11 within the container 6 is a disk valve 14 which is provided adjacent its marginal edge with a series of openings 15, the openings being adapted to successively register with the outlet opening 13 in the bottom of the container. Pivotally connected to the lower face of the bottom of the container is a cut-off valve 16 which is adapted to be swung to a position to close the outlet opening 13 in the container to prevent discharge of the material therefrom to the machine.

A bracket 17 is mounted on the operating shaft 3 of the machine, the bracket being disposed upwardly and outwardly, the upper end thereof being looped as at 18 to form a journal for one end of a transmission shaft 19, the shaft 19 being journaled adjacent its opposite end within a loop 20 formed on the clamping member 8. Keyed to the op- Patented Sept. 15, 1914:.

It will be seen, from the shaft are the gear wheels 21 and 22, the

, gear wheel 21 meshing with the gear wheel 4: on the shaft 3, andthe gear wheel 22 meshing with a pinion 23 on the lower end of the drive shaft 11. v

The operation of my improved device is as follows :With the container secured in the desired position by the clamping member 8 as heretofore described,'so that the pinion 23 on the lower end of the drive shaft 11 meshes with the gear wheel 22 on the transmission shaft and the gear wheel 21 on the opposite end ofthe transmission shaft meshing with the gear wheel 4 on the operating shaft of the"machine,it will be seen that upon rotation of the handle 5 of i the shaft'3, the disk valve 14 in the container will be rotated through themedium of said gearing and shafts. Presuming that the meat to be chopped is disposed within the machine, and the seasoning material is earned 1n the container, upon rotation ofthe operating shaft 3 to chop the meat, the rotation of the disk 14 successively moves the openings 15 into alinement with the outlet opening 13 in the container to allow a portion of the seasoningto pass from the container into the machmeiwhereby it is automatically mixed with. the meat. The

quantity of seasoning discharged into the machine through the openings 15' register- 'ing with the opening 13' may be regulated" the'cut-off valve 16 which may bejdis posed to partially close the outlet opening 13, and the passage of seasoning tothe' machine may be entirely cut oil by dispos i ing j the cut-off valve directly across the opening l3'to close the same.

Copies of this patentmay be obtainedfor chopping machine, and which comprises a minlmum number of parts whereby the same may be cheaply manufactured, and at the same time be extremely efficient in use.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire tov secure and claim by- Letters Patent is In combination with a meat chopper. a seasoning attachment comprising a rotatable shaft, a bracket detachably connected to one end of the machine for supporting one end of said shaft, a second bracket detach-- ably connectedito the other end of the ma chine for supporting the opposite end of .said' shaft, standards connected to said second bracket, a dropping; device for seasoning supported upon said standards,

means for operatively eonnecti'ngthe first for operatively connecting the second men tioned end of the shaft with the dropping 'fdevice, whereby upon rotation of the operating shaft of the machine, thedropping de r vice is actuated.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atfix fmy signature inthe presence of two witnesses.

Witnessesg CP N. GARRETT, V Jesse M. SHELLEY.

five cents each,jby'addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. i

. ALBERT sTUReIs;

mentioned endof saidshaft with the operatinglshaft of thefmachine 'and means 

